Who doesn't love a good night's sleep? As much as we'd all like to have some sound, restful sleep every night; life just seems to get in the way. Maybe you're facing insomnia, maybe you're working some extra hours at night, maybe you just couldn't turn your Netflix off?! Either way, many of us tend to overlook how incredibly important it is to sleep at least 7 hours a day. Are you one of those people too? We're hoping you'll consider changing by the end of this article! Here are the 10 Reasons Why Sleeping Will Make You Live Longer:
It Keeps Your Heart Healthy
Strokes and heart attacks are way more likely to happen during the early morning hours, which has a lot to do with how your sleep pattern went. Inadequate sleep has been associated with worsening of cholesterol as well as blood pressure, both of which are major risk factors for stroke and heart disease. Ideally speaking, you should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night to have optimal heart health.
It Reduces Your Risk of Depression
The world is currently going through a Mental Health crisis, with much of it being linked to poor quality sleep! Sleep has an effect on many of the chemicals in your body, including serotonin. People who lack serotonin in their bodies are more likely to face depression. People who sleep between 7 to 9 hours every night tend to have more stable mental health.
It Prevents Diabetes
Research has shown that lack of sleep and insulin resistance may be connected. People who sleep less than 7 hours a day tend to feel more tired throughout the day and are also more likely to indulge in unhealthy eating. A good night’s sleep is integral for your hormone regulation and affects your body's immune system in more ways than you'd think.
It May Help Prevent Cancer
Did you know that people who work till late hours have the highest risk of developing colon and breast cancer? This is because your exposure to light will reduce your melatonin levels. This hormone regulates your sleep-wake cycle and is thought to suppress the growth of tumors and eventually protect against cancer. Therefore, it's important not only that you sleep early, but also that your bedroom is dark enough, and you've kept all the electronics away. All of this will help your body produce the melatonin it requires and eventually helps you battle any risk of cancer.
It Reduces Stress
When your body hasn't got enough sleep, it increases its state of stress. Your body's functions are put on high alert, which leads to an increase in the production of stress hormones as well as higher blood pressure. All of this increases your risk of stroke and cardiac diseases. It also leads to a vicious cycle of insomnia, as being stressed will make it even harder for you to fall asleep. If you're finding it hard to sleep due to stress, you can learn some relaxation techniques to counter these symptoms.
It Makes You Smarter
Sleep isn't just helpful during the night, but also during the day! When you nap during the day, you're giving yourself a refreshing (and more effective) alternative to caffeine. It helps you stay more productive and gives your overall health a boost. In fact, a study has found that people who don't ever nap during the day experienced mental distress way more than those who napped at least an hour every day.
What's more: people who have the luxury to nap at work tend to have much lower levels of stress, better cognitive function, and sharper memory.
It Reduces The Risk Of Hypertension
The amount of sleep you get at night and your blood pressure are closely linked with each other. Research has found that people who sleep less than 6 hours a night are 20% more likely to experience hypertension. This issue can be avoided by getting the recommended 7+ hours of sleep each and every night. Continued lack of sleep will only compound your hypertension and make your symptoms much worse. Without proper sleep to re-energize your body, you could be stressing yourself without even realizing it, until it is too late!
It Improves Your Memory
Your body may be resting when you're asleep, but your brain is working in full throttle! Research doesn't totally understand why we dream and sleep, but it has been found that sleep plays a crucial role in a process called memory consolidation. This is the time during your sleep when you're making connections between memories, events, feelings, and sensory input. This is also the time when you're beginning to process your day. A sound sleep will be beneficial in making memories and links for your brain, as well as getting more quality sleep.
It Boosts Sexual Hormone Production (Men Listen Up!)
The majority of sexual hormones you use throughout the day is replenished during sleep. Normal testosterone & estrogen production in your body requires that you have undisturbed, restful sleep (called REM sleep) every night. When you're sleeping less than 7 hours a day, you're likely to face an increase in the stress hormone cortisone. High levels of cortisone can significantly lower your testosterone & estrogen production. Men over 30 & Women over 40 are at an even higher risk of this issue!
It Reduces Inflammation
The level of inflammation in your body is raised significantly when you have excess stress hormones, mostly caused by a lack of sleep. Increased inflammation is linked with a whole bunch of problems for your bodies: diabetes, cancer, and cardiac diseases to name a few. It's also known to cause the body to deteriorate more and more as you age!
Here at Wellness Health Group, we provide patients relief using Functional Medicine, Bioidentical Hormones Replacement, Supplements, Vitamins, and Wellness Nutrition.
We hope you enjoy these posts and we here at Wellness Health Group are glad you're being proactive in your own health maintenance. To schedule an appointment please call us at 956-581-2168 or visit WellnessHealthGroup.com for more information.